Leak Location & Repair Experts

Leak Services:

Call Professional Tampa Bay Plumbers for Comprehensive Water Leak Services

The Drain Team^® provides full service for water leak problems. We have a team of professionals specifically dedicated to both leak detection and location.

• We own state-of-the-art location tools and use the best device for your situation.
• After location, we can also give you a free no obligation estimate for a complete repair by The Drain Team^®.
• One call can solve your entire problem.

Types of Leaks

A plumbing leak has the potential to be as damaging as a flood. A gusher can fill the entire house with a few inches of water if it occurs in the night when everyone is sleeping or while you are away. It is best to know where the main and secondary cutoffs are to your house or apartment. Most have shut-off valves in the laundry room, crawl space, or basement. Older houses and apartments don’t, but there is always a cutoff outside. Know where it is, have the tools to close it, and know how to close it.

Small Leaks

Small leaks that are not immediately detected can be some of the most expensive and damaging as long term water costs and structural damages go. These can be outside in the main supply line, in the crawlspace, in the wall, in the slab, or anywhere there is plumbing. Some of these will be easy to pinpoint once they’re detected, but others may be very difficult such as leaks in the slab or the wall. These will often need electronic detection.

Main Line Leak

The main line is the plumbing line that runs from the meter to the house. These leaks are detected by a higher than usual water bill, puddles or wet spots in the yard, or a river of water flowing from a large break. These may be pinpointed by digging down in the area of the puddle or the stream. They are often repairable by line splicing or direct brazing, but sometimes a new line may need to be installed due to heavy corrosion. If the only evidence of the leak is a high water bill, it may need to be found with ultrasound equipment. Digging and looking for these leaks is time and labor consuming and therefore can be expensive. It is important to hire the Clearwater plumber with the most experience and best equipment to keep your costs as low as possible.

Crawlspace Leak

A crawlspace leak may go a long time before its detected. These are usually detected by a musty or moldy scent in the living space above, or by a puddle or wet place outside next to the foundation. They are often easy to pinpoint, but in some cases ultrasound equipment may be needed. These repairs are also made by splicing, repairing, or brazing.

Wall Leak

A leak in the wall may be detected by puddles near the leak. Sometimes the water will go from the pipe straight into the crawlspace without leaving a puddle in the floor. In these cases, electronic leak location are almost always necessary. A leak in the wall needs to be pinpointed as precisely as possible to minimize the wall damage that will be needed to gain access to the leak. Once the leak is pinpointed, a whole must be made in the wall to repair the leak.

Slab Leak

Some houses are built on slabs; a solid concrete foundation that is poured directly on the ground. The plumbing is laid out first, and the concrete is poured on top of the plumbing to build the slab. Sometimes plumbing lines in the slab will break down and cause a slab leak. It becomes noticeable by forming wet places in the floor or puddles next to the house. Sometimes there will be a warm spot in the floor if it is a hot water leak. These leaks should be fixed as soon as they’re detected in order to save money on the water bill, electric bill, or gas bill. If they are not taken care of they may also cause extensive damage to the structure of the house or the slab. Pinpointing these leaks may require electronic leak locating if evidence of the leak is not immediately visible. These leaks are repaired by cutting or jack hammering the concrete to get access to the leak. If cutting or jack hammering are too expensive because of collateral damage to the area where the leak is, such as under a bathtub, cabinetry, or tiled floor, then rerouting the plumbing overhead might be a better alternative. Sometimes plumbing is laid in soil that is corrosive to the plumbing material. In these cases all the plumbing will need to be rerouted overhead.

One slab leak tends to turn into several more over time so early detection and repair is highly recommended.

Self-Help Leak Location

Before you call a plumbing company, it might help to do a self assessment of your leak to determine exactly if there is one and come as close as you can to locating it. First shut off every valve possible including those at toilets, sinks, and appliances. If the water meter is still spinning, even over the course of an hour, there is definitely a leak in your building within the pipe system. If the meter stops, at least now you know the leak is after one of the outlets. Turn each one on individually and check to see which one causes the meter to start turning.

Ultrasound technology uses sound to pinpoint a leak. Most leaks will make a slight noise that can be heard with ultrasound equipment. If the noise cannot be detected by the equipment, the water is cut off and the lines are injected with CO2 gas to pressurize them. The leak will then making a hissing noise that can be detected by the ear or the ultrasound equipment.

Leak detection and repair services are done by finding the leak first. It the leak is easily visible, The Drain Team^® will give the customer a free estimate for repairing it. If the leak has to be found using ultrasound technology, a diagnostic fee is charged and a free estimate is given.

Having small leaks repaired will save hundreds of dollars in water costs each year; it will also help to conserve a precious commodity that is easy to take for granted.